Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SCOOTER (Silicon-Organic Hybrid Transceivers for Terabit/s Data Network)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2017-05-01 do 2018-10-31
Megatrends such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Industry-4.0 paradigms, and cloud-based service delivery are combining to push communication infrastructures to their limits. This applies in particular to data-center and campus-area networks, which limit scalability of computing power and storage capacity already today. Compact power-efficient transceiver concepts are key to overcome these bottlenecks.
Within SCOOTER we have investigated the market potential of a novel class of electro-optic modulators that stand out due to high bandwidth and low power consumption. These devices offer the potential for serial transmission of 100 Gbit/s data streams while fulfilling the stringent requirements of small-form-factor packages. Our approach exploits the concept of silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) integration that was elaborated in the framework of the ERC Stating Grant EnTeraPIC (# 280145). SOH devices combine the economics of large-scale silicon photonic integration with the exceptional performance of organic electro-optic (EO) materials obtained through theory-guided molecular design.
In the course of the project, we have conducted an in-depth analysis of market opportunities and competitive boundary conditions, investigated and eliminated fundamental risks related to the underlying technology, and analyzed different business models. We have further established an IPR strategy for transferring the technology to industrial applications and formulated a strategy for market entry. We are currently exploring different options for raising funds for the next phase of commercialization through a start-up company. This company may have the potential to address market volumes between 50 and 100 million Euros per year such that the growth of revenue will rather be limited by the velocity with which we can sustainably establish our technology chain than by the size of the addressable market. We expect that our technology will enable novel transceivers that may have transformative impact on the long-term Ethernet roadmap, enabling interface rates of 400 Gbit/s, 800 Gbit/s, 1 Tbit/s, and beyond.
Within SCOOTER we have investigated the market potential of a novel class of electro-optic modulators that stand out due to high bandwidth and low power consumption. These devices offer the potential for serial transmission of 100 Gbit/s data streams while fulfilling the stringent requirements of small-form-factor packages. Our approach exploits the concept of silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) integration that was elaborated in the framework of the ERC Stating Grant EnTeraPIC (# 280145). SOH devices combine the economics of large-scale silicon photonic integration with the exceptional performance of organic electro-optic (EO) materials obtained through theory-guided molecular design.
In the course of the project, we have conducted an in-depth analysis of market opportunities and competitive boundary conditions, investigated and eliminated fundamental risks related to the underlying technology, and analyzed different business models. We have further established an IPR strategy for transferring the technology to industrial applications and formulated a strategy for market entry. We are currently exploring different options for raising funds for the next phase of commercialization through a start-up company. This company may have the potential to address market volumes between 50 and 100 million Euros per year such that the growth of revenue will rather be limited by the velocity with which we can sustainably establish our technology chain than by the size of the addressable market. We expect that our technology will enable novel transceivers that may have transformative impact on the long-term Ethernet roadmap, enabling interface rates of 400 Gbit/s, 800 Gbit/s, 1 Tbit/s, and beyond.